Homecoming

[Ghost Spike]

Things have really been quite messy of late, haven’t they? I brought the Watchdogs together to try and fend off the Pack, but it seems like I’m the only one truly invested in that cause. I can’t blame Bob for being wrapped up in the Imperial Title scene, and I can’t blame Pandora for her objections. I don’t, I love that woman more than life itself. I don’t blame Astrid for not being as gung ho as I am, because I know she’s got my back….Xavier? He hasn’t been the same since I got him out of that hellhole, and I’m thinking maybe I should have just let him go home and heal.

The point is, I have some regrets, but not for one second am I done.

I’ll never be done.

I’d rather die in that ring.

Which, is kind of funny, because I feel like there’s someone else who has that mindset. Someone who thinks that I’m overlooking them, ignoring them, that I don’t care, that they just don’t matter in this company….in case you’re an idiot, I’m clearly talking about Jayson Matthews.

The greatest Invictus Champion IWF has ever had.

I’m not sucking up, I’m not trying to butter you up either Jayson, I truly mean that. Yeah, you didn’t beat that longest reign but let’s be honest, that reign? It was complete and utter bullshit and will never be looked at with the awe and respect that your reign, hell your combined reigns will. Trust me, I’ve been around long enough to know what matters. The thing is, you want a fourth reign, you want the belt back because you feel like you’re nothing without it. You think that it defines you….that’s not how it works buddy, like I said back when I held the Man of Steel for a record breaking time…

The man makes the belt, not the other way around.

A rematch wasn’t enough for you though was it Jayson? You’ve got this desire inside you, this need to prove yourself. So instead of just being happy to have a marquee match with the God of Xtreme…..you asked for the Dragons Den.

MY HOME.

Several people have tried to claim the Den over the years, be they Jake Conway, or even Eternity, but nobody knows that structure like me. Nobody has shed as much blood in that structure as me, nobody is brutal enough to call something like that there home, and that is exactly what it is to me Jayson. It is my home, and if you think you’ve seen anything of Spike Kane this past year or two? If you think you’ve seen the damage that I can do, to Johnny Gillmen, to Falcon, to Andrew Jacobsen, to Ryan Shane?

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

~~~

We open up on a room within the home slash school of Spike Kane, Pandora Freeman, and Astrid Hall. The room is clearly desiged for meetings of some sort, the walls have wooden panels with thick wooden beams. In the middle of the room is a large oak rectangular table with wooden chairs all around. Spike Kane sits at one end, a large bottle of amber liquid a foot or so away from him on the table. He sits looking at it, clearly deep in thought.

“Are you two spending some alone time?”

A voice comes from the doorway where Astrid Hall is standing, she smirks at Spike who lets out a sigh chuckle, before gesturing for her to join him. She walks in, her head held high as she sits adjacent to Spike.

Astrid: I had no idea of your past troubles with substance abuse.

Spike looks down as she mentions his past addictions. He isn’t proud of the man he used to be, but worked very hard to get past that.

Spike: I know. I’m a hypocrite. I lost my cool with Pan about her being drunk, and then I go and drink myself stupid and shout at her again…..I don’t deserve her.

Spike goes to look down again, but Astrid reaches a hand across the table.

Astrid: If that were true, she would not be here. Neither would I, no?

A wry smirk comes from Spike as he looks up to Astrid, taking in her frame and her beauty once again as if it were the first time he was seeing her.

Spike: You love her too. I see it, it’s a wonderful thing…

Before he can continue she cuts him off.

Astrid: I love you too Spike.

Her words bring a genuinely broad smile to Spike’s face, his train of thought lost for a second or two, before he glances the liquid once more.

Spike: I felt myself slipping. Felt all that rage and anger coming back, the person Pan had fought so hard to save me from…..I don’t want to be that man anymore.

Now Astrid eyes the liquid, she picks up the bottle and uncorks it, smelling it. Her eyes close as she inhales and can almost taste the delicious liquid inside.

Astrid: Mmm….is that not what we have each other for? To support each other, to stick together, to be as strong as the shield wall?

Spike chuckles.

Spike: Your ways fascinate me. Your religion, your heritage, it feels like I’d fit in so much more with those than the ways I was dragged up with.

She rises from her seat and moves to a cabinet to the side, pulling too drinking glasses and placing them down on the table.

Astrid: You would be a welcome figure in the mead halls my friend, and valhalla would be lucky to have you.

She opens the bottle and begins to pour some into each glass, Spike seems a little nervous.

Spike: I….I guess. It’s just….I have an addictive personality…

Astrid: That you do. You’re addicted to competition, to battle, to proving yourself. Now, we shall drink to that proving of yourself. We shall drink to you becoming the man, the warrior you are today, and we shall drink to the upcoming battle within the Dragons Den!

She raises her glass, and Spike smirks, chuckling a little and raises his own.

Spike: Well, when you put it like that. With someone like you, and Pandora behind me? I feel unstoppable!

The two lock eyes as they raise their drinks.

Astrid: SKAL!

Spike: ...SKAL!

They clink glasses before they down the mead. The two laugh out loud and begin to just talk as the camera fades away.

~~~

There have been so many pretenders to my throne over the years. From the likes of Insane Fan, to Dark Prophet, from Vertigo Dirtmurder, to Jack Manson, from Reckless Jack to Dean Harper….

Never in my life did I expect one of those names to be Jayson Matthews. The guy everyone in the world looks upon as the most lovable underdog. The guy who is supposed to go to the ring and get his ass kicked, and maybe, just maybe, pull of a shocking victory. Well, over the last year or so….Jayson has been building himself, and rebuilding himself to be a big part of IWF. He went out there and put on some great matches, really gave it his all…..and a lot of that he puts up to his coach….The Goddamned Nighthawk.

Fuck Nighthawk.

Who did you come to when Sandman was breathing down your neck? Who did you come to when you needed to tap into that darker part of you? Who did you come to when you knew that holds and reversals just wouldn’t cut it against someone as crazy as Jason Sandman?

YOU CAME TO ME!

You looked past everything that I had done, you looked past what I’d done to Nighthawk and the students at the Wrestle Factory. You looked past it all, because you wanted something. You looked past it all, because there was something you could gain from it…..I imagine it’s not the same right now is it? There’s nothing you can gain from being in my good books anymore, you’re a feisty little chihuahua ready to bite my ass, right? You’ve got a big bad point to prove, and who better to prove it against than the Blood God, right? The problem is Jayson, you went too far…

You brought the Dragons Den into things…

I know you’re braver than you are smart. You’ll throw yourself into situations you truly aren’t ready for, because you got that heart. You are, for all intents, and purposes, the heart of the IWF. I accept that, I would defend that if anyone questioned it….but the Dragons Den Jayson? Are you suicidal? Are you messed up in the head? Do you know what takes place in that structure? Do you know what goes down in that place? It’s a twisted creation from my own mind, at arguably one of the most dangerous points in my life…

It’s designed to hurt people.

It’s designed to shorten, if not end careers.

It’s designed...for me.

For me to enjoy hurting people. For me to play with all my toys. For me to throw people around like a ragdoll. For me, Jayson, it was simply designed for me. It’s truly my element, it’s where I shed off any weight, any stress, anything that holds me back. You think you saw someone who was reckless back in the cage match against James Gilmore? That was simply a man with nothing left to lose, this time around? A man who has a legacy to protect, a man who has a reputation to live up to, and a man who simply needs to put you in your place Jayson.

You won’t be making your name off of me.

You most certainly will not be inheriting the legacy of the Den from me.

You won’t be taking this Invictus from me.

You see, while others in this company might look down on this championship? It is a championship that has propelled some of the greatest we’ve had in this company, but to me? It’s a championship my son has held twice. It’s a championship that meant something to him, and it was the last championship I could win in this company to be the only person to have won everything…..and the tag titles.

It means something to me too Jayson, is what I’m trying to say. It means just as much to me, as it does to you…..so it’s not going to be easy, it’s going to be the hardest night of your life. We’re going to go to war inside that Den, we’re going to tear each other apart. I’m going to run rampant in there Jayson, I’m going to unleash everything that I’ve been trying so hard to hold back. The Spike Kane everyone talks about, the one who would kick you to the curb just for shits and giggles, the one who would happily wrap himself in barbed wire, set himself on fire, and do a moonsault…..just because he could.

The Spike Kane who could end your career.

It isn’t because I don’t like you Jayson. I never used to! I told you that upfront, but you’ve earned a lot of respect from me Jayson. You don’t tell the world that you’re the best, and then go and fail in the ring. You don’t proclaim to know everything and then go and fail in the ring. You don’t have an ego, you let your work in the ring do the talking for you, and fuck me….I respect the hell out of you for that kid.

I’m just sorry that I’m going to end that gravy train of yours again come Metamorphosis.

You’re not curtain jerking anymore Jayson, you’re not a kid trying to break out, you’re not trying to make a name for yourself. You’re one foot into that main event scene, it’s time to play with the big boys, and unfortunately for you? You’re stepping in the ring with the biggest, baddest, scariest motherfucker this business has ever seen. Don’t worry though Jayson, we’re going to steal the show, we’re going to put on one hell of a match. It’ll go down in history, it’ll be spoken about for years….everyone is going to remember..

The night Spike Kane destroyed Jayson Matthews.